#BREAKING UPDATE: 18 Killed, 5 Injured in Deadly Inferno at Gujarat Factory
Deadly Inferno: 18 Killed, 5 Injured in Gujarat Firecracker Godown Blast
A catastrophic explosion tore through a firecracker warehouse in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, killing 18 people and injuring five as the building collapsed under the force of the blast.
The tragedy unfolded around 9:45 AM in an industrial pocket near Deesa town, reducing the structure to rubble and leaving a trail of devastation.
Superintendent of Police Akshayraj Makwana confirmed the grim toll, noting that the victims—workers from Madhya Pradesh and their families—were crushed when the massive concrete slab caved in.
“The unit was a storage facility, not a manufacturing site, based on current evidence,” Makwana clarified, correcting earlier assumptions. The blast’s ferocity hurled debris across the area, with rescue teams racing against time to free anyone still trapped.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, calling the incident “heart-breaking,” announced Rs 4 lakh for the deceased’s families and Rs 50,000 for the injured, vowing swift relief and medical aid. “I’m in constant touch with the administration,” Patel posted, praying for the souls lost.
Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav echoed the grief, pledging full support to affected workers from his state in coordination with Gujarat officials.
The blaze, now extinguished, left five survivors with burns and fractures, all stable in local hospitals. Over 200 responders—firefighters, police, and SDRF crews—combed the wreckage, fearing more casualties. While the cause remains under probe, early whispers point to volatile stockpiles igniting.
This disaster, Gujarat’s deadliest industrial mishap in years, reignites calls for tighter safety oversight in a state no stranger to such tragedies—10 died in a 2024 fireworks blast in Tamil Nadu. For now, Deesa mourns as two states rally to heal the scars.
